


Putting The Boot In

by Cerdic519



Series: Sanditon, Or The Sorely-Tried Alpha [5]
Category: AUSTEN Jane - Works, Sanditon - Jane Austen, Supernatural
Genre: Alternate Universe - 19th Century, Alternate Universe - Jane Austen Fusion, Alternate Universe - Regency, Battle Of Waterloo, Childbirth, F/M, M/M, Minor Character Death, Mpreg, Unrequited Crush, War
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-09-27
Updated: 2018-09-29
Packaged: 2019-07-18 04:53:43
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 3,250
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16111217
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Cerdic519/pseuds/Cerdic519
Summary: A furtherSanditonDestiel sequel. It is 1815. After over two decades of war the Continent is finally at peace, or it will be when the Congress of Vienna stops all those social events and gets round to sorting out all those borders. Unfortunately there is a slight hitch, whose repercussions will stretch as far as Sanditon and Sandover in Sussex-by-the-Sea.





	1. A Little Problem

**Author's Note:**

  * For [lyster99](https://archiveofourown.org/users/lyster99/gifts).

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Both the Heywood omegas are once again expecting come summer and their families are looking forward to both happy events – but trouble is looming over the horizon.

It had been an eventful three years since the events covered in our last chapter, for both the United Kingdom and the Parker family. Castiel and Dean had welcomed omega Diniel (1813) and Rosemary (1814). The family spent much of their time during parliamentary sittings in London now, returning to their seaside home for the holidays. Dean's brother Samuel and his mate Ezekiel Pensnett lived there some of the time, along with Samuel's lover Gadreel Pensnett. It had been a curious arrangement for reasons that have been mentioned earlier, although for the last two years Gadreel had been away serving in the Army and had only managed a brief return visit last year before having to dash back to Vienna, where the seemingly interminable negotiations after Napoleon had finally been defeated dragged on and on. As one wit had quipped about the negotiators, 'they dance but they do not move'.

Next door still lived Castiel's brother Lucifer and his mate Inias, who had welcomed beta Mark (1812) and Lucinda (1814) to join Luke and Ion. The birth of Lucinda had been tortuous for both parents and Lucifer had insisted on their having no more children. Although not, as their neighbours could well attest, no more of the other!

Not that the last few years had not seem some departures as well as arrivals. Two of the Parker betas had departed for the next world, unwillingly in both cases. Gabriel had been shot by the owner of the brewery in Hailsham last year when he had caught him breaking in in pursuit of yet another prank, one which had turned out to be his last. And only three months on from that Raphael had identified by an albatross whilst in church - more specifically whilst standing on top of the church tower, from which he attempted to soar majestically but had instead splatted very un-majestically onto the path leading up to the church, only narrowly missing an approaching cortège. It had certainly made old Mrs. Golightly's funeral one to remember!

֍ΑΩ֎ΩΑ֍ΑΩ֎ΩΑ֍

Since Dean had discovered his current pregnancy during the Christmas break, Castiel had insisted that he not join him in London. The omega had demanded and got lots of sex to make up for his disappointment, which reminded the alpha (again) about the importance of good quality turnpike roads and padded seats. And about staff who knew not to smirk when their alpha 'master' limped out of his carriage still squeaking with pain at every step!

Dean was therefore in Camperdown House when his brother came visiting. One look at the latter's face told Dean it was not good news.

“What is it?” he asked anxiously. 

“Napoleon is back!”

Dean stared at him in shock.

“What?”

“He escaped from Elba† and has been welcomed back by the French Army”, Samuel said grimly. “Louis XVI has fled and the Continent is in uproar. Gad wrote to me from Vienna and told me.”

“Will he have to serve in Wellington's Army?” Dean asked worriedly. His brother nodded.

“Zeke and I are afraid for him”, he said fretfully. “If he dies.....”

Dean looked down at his brother's bump.

“Which one, uh.... you know.”

His brother smiled dangerously.

“Remember your mother-in-law's story about the professor brothers?” he asked.

“'Long Division'”, Dean shuddered. “The two of them wanted to experiment if they could what she called 'tag team'.... oh my Lord!”

His brother's smile widened. Dean was suddenly short of breath.

“Please tell me you did not!” he exclaimed. “You said that they are both huge!”

“Well, that Knot-Stopper you lent me did come in useful..... one in and one out...”

“I have no brother!”

֍ΑΩ֎ΩΑ֍ΑΩ֎ΩΑ֍

Dean was feeling better later that day as Ezekiel had made his brother send round an apology pie. Hah, Sammy was so whipped. And even better, Castiel had gone over to Lewes to meet an associate which meant that Dean had the whole thing to himself. Score!

Unfortunately it turned out that Mini-Parker Mark Six did not like pie at all. What a waste!

֍ΑΩ֎ΩΑ֍ΑΩ֎ΩΑ֍

The political world had been rocked three years back by the assassination of the prime minister Spencer Percival by a disgruntled businessman, a killing that Castiel had actually witnessed. That had brought Mr. Robert Banks Jenkinson, better known by his title Lord Liverpool, to office. He was rather more of a 'centrist' Tory that Perceval had been, and his government had brought the war to a successful conclusion last year. Dean had been disappointed that his husband had not been offered a government post as yet, but Liverpool's big election win just months after he had taken over from his predecessor meant that there were many more Tories chasing a limited number of government positions.

Castiel came home two days later, and after a suitable welcome (plus a period of recovery time in which a certain omega did not really smirk _that_ much), what was left of the alpha limped into the sitting-room.

“I am sure you have moved the dining-room further away from the stairs”, he grumbled, moving carefully to his chair and glaring at the footman who was having to make an effort not to join his mate in smirking. “Thank you, Jessops. You may go.”

The alpha was sure that there was a barely stifled snort of laughter as the servant went out but he chose to ignore it.

“So”, Dean said, “What news from London?”

“Mr. Kenton Bankside, the member for one of the Oxfordshire seats, has died”, the alpha said, pausing to growl appreciatively at the pile of bacon that the maid placed before him. 

“And?” Dean asked. “Do not forget who is the pregnant one here, by the way.”

His husband gave him a pitying look as if he was the meanest omega every to deny a poor, broken alpha his rightful breakfast. Dean sighed and pushed the plate over to him, and Castiel fell on it with gusto. The omega had to wait some time for an answer.

“He held a junior ministerial position at the War Office”, Castiel said and he stared mournfully at the now empty plate. “Liverpool has asked me to step up and take his place.”

“That is the first wonderful thing to happen today”, Dean grinned. 

“And the second?” Castiel asked.

“Well”, Dean said, looking lasciviously at his alpha who did not tremble in the slightest, “do you know what I really feel like just now?”

That was most definitely a whine of fear. The omega's smile widened.

“More bacon for my husband”, he said. “I ordered you two plates, just in case.”

Castiel sniffed. He really had to talk to the maids about dusting this room more thoroughly, the way it was bringing on his allergies like this.

֍ΑΩ֎ΩΑ֍ΑΩ֎ΩΑ֍

Next time the news from the Front is not good,

֍ΑΩ֎ΩΑ֍ΑΩ֎ΩΑ֍

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> † An island slightly larger than the District of Columbia or just over half the size of the Isle of Wight, it is situated some six miles off the Tuscan coast (north-west Italy). Napoleon had been exiled there under the Treaty of Fontainebleau that had ended the French Revolutionary Wars in 1814; nominally he was 'King of Elba' but British and French warships patrolled the coasts around the island. Unfortunately winter storms broke the blockade and allowed the Little General to make his escape.


	2. Death's Messenger

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Both Dean and Samuel are due to give birth – but neither new arrival seems that keen to come out. Meanwhile Napoleon strikes out against the British and the Prussians, and someone is not what they seem.

Mr. Castiel Parker increasingly thought to himself that having his mate's pregnant brother and that omega's husband moving in 'to keep Dean company' had been a great act of generosity on his part, and that two omegas both just days away from their full terms were both perhaps just the littlest bit moody, bad-tempered or demanding. However, as he was fond of his body parts in their current arrangement he kept those thoughts totally to himself. In which he was most wise.

The alpha was at least blest in that the prime minister, being more liberal-leaning that his ill-starred predecessor, was prepared to grant his newest junior minister time off around the birth. Although he was beginning to worry about that too; Samuel had been due on the eighth of June and his beloved Dean two days later, but it was now the thirteenth and neither of the newest arrivals to the Parker dynasty had shown any inclination to appear.

In which they were about to get some rather unfortunate encouragement.

֍ΑΩ֎ΩΑ֍ΑΩ֎ΩΑ֍

Castiel wanted to go to the midweek service, as like most of the country he was holding his breath over events on the Continent. That rat Napoleon had been accepted back as ruler of a France who seemingly wanted to repeat the last twenty-odd years of conquest and destruction, and against expectations had struck out against the two nearest armies arrayed against him. Together the British with their Dutch, Hanoverian¹ and other German allies under the Duke of Wellington, and the Prussians² under Marshall Blücher outnumbered him but they were some distance apart; if Wellington could not hold his enemy up in his advance to Brussels, the Little General might be able to pick them off one at a time.

The alpha's carefully-arranged trip did not, of course, go to plan. Naturally neither Dean nor Samuel could come, and Ezekiel stayed home to be with them. And their three eldest children whom the alpha had wanted to take with him were still not ready. 

“Jared is still not down yet?” Castiel complained. “Scay, what is he doing up there?”

His eldest son, Jensen, sniggered.

“Still brushing his hair, I bet!” he said.

Castiel really wanted to reprimand him for that sort of snark (which he had most certainly got from his papa rather than his father) but at that moment Jared appeared walking down the stairs. Still brushing his hair.

“Told you!” his twin said triumphantly. “Princess Jareda has _finally_ deigned to join us mere mortals now her silken locks are in place.”

“My hair is glorious”, Jared pouted. “You are just jealous!”

“Boys!” Castiel growled. “We will be late and I shall be cross. Move.”

His sons immediately stopped snarking and filed out to the carriage, although Jensen still made a grab for his twin's locks which the latter batted away. Castiel sighed. Children!

֍ΑΩ֎ΩΑ֍ΑΩ֎ΩΑ֍

The seemingly interminable service was finally over when young Jensen turned to his father.

“Daddy”, he said, “why was that strange man glaring at Lady Denham so?”

Castiel looked at him in surprise.

“What man?” he asked. 

His son pointed to where a tow-headed gentleman whom the alpha did not recognize was looking around the congregation. The man was perhaps military from his bearing, but Castiel was sure that he had never seen him before. 

“I do not know him”, he said.

“I do”, Miss Griffiths said, coming up to them. “That is Captain Henry Fairhead, one of the Duke of Wellington's aides. And perhaps more significantly the son of one Colonel Philip Fairhead, who was one of Lady Rowena's squeezes.”

“Why would Lady Denham squeeze a soldier?” Scaden asked innocently. Castiel blushed.

“It is just a way of saying they were close friends at one time”, he said hurriedly.

“Very close!” Miss Griffiths smiled. “On a horizontal level!”

Castiel glared at her. At that moment Captain Fairhead seemed to spot them and came over.

“Good day”, he said politely. “I am trying to find a Mr. Heywood.”

“I am Mr. Castiel Parker”, Castiel said politely, “and my mate was formerly Mr. Dean Heywood. Is there news from the Continent.”

“I am rather afraid that there is”, the soldier said gravely. “One of our men who came from here has been killed, and I am ordered to let his family know.

֍ΑΩ֎ΩΑ֍ΑΩ֎ΩΑ֍

Castiel's parents were coming to Sandover for dinner that day (despite his omega's pouting at that fact), so they took the children back in their carriage whilst Castiel rode with a silent Captain Fairhead. He very much feared what would happen when they reached home, but his brother-in-law had a right to know the worst.

Once inside the house introductions were made and the captain sat down.

“Please tell us”, Samuel asked anxiously. “We have not heard anything from the front for two weeks now, although I know things are difficult over there.”

“'Difficult' is an understatement”, the soldier sighed. “I am afraid that I am the bearer of ill tidings, and sorry I am to deliver them to you right now.”

He took a deep breath before continuing. 

“Two weeks ago, one of our scouting patrols was caught by the advancing French and all but destroyed”, he said. “Only one man made it back but fortunately we were able to recover the bodies. One of the dead men had a locket with a picture of an omega inside it. I am afraid that picture was of you, Mr. Heywood.”

Samuel gasped in horror. Ezekiel moved closer to him and held him tight.

“I feared it might happen”, the captain said. “The fellow only came to us last year after the fighting had stopped, and was pretty useless even then....”

“Wait a minute”, Ezekiel said frowning. “ Gad was a brilliant soldier. And he has been in the army for five years, with the duke for the last two.”

“Gad?” the captain said, looking surprised.

“My twin Gadreel”, Ezekiel said.

The soldier looked at him in confusion.

“This man's name, once we had got past his alias, was Mr. Balthazar Parker”, he said. “He came to us with a letter of recommendation from the government which, I later suspected, was fraudulent.” He turned back to Samuel Pensnett. “He always spoke of you, sir, as the love of his life.”

Samuel Pensnett stared at him in shock. 

_“Balthazar?”_

“Always knew he had a crush on you”, Dean muttered. “So that was where he went when his debtors tried to catch up with him.”

“I am sorry”, the captain said ruefully. “The scoundrel even had a love-letter purportedly from you, sir, which was why we believed him when he claimed what he did.”

“That is all right”, Ezekiel said generously. “Is it not, Sam?”

His mate was silent.

“Sam?”

“I sort of think”, Samuel said slowly, “that you are about to become a father!”

֍ΑΩ֎ΩΑ֍ΑΩ֎ΩΑ֍

Next time there are (at least) two joyous events.

֍ΑΩ֎ΩΑ֍ΑΩ֎ΩΑ֍

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 1) A small to medium sized state in what is now north-west Germany and the eastern Netherlands, about the same size as the state of Maryland at this time. When Napoleon had been defeated the previous year (1814) it had been raised to a kingdom. It was in personal union with the United Kingdom at the time, the electors of Hanover ruling both countries since 1714. This sometimes ended in a political union (as it had with England and Scotland 1603-1707) but the personal union ended with the accession of Queen Victoria in 1837; women were not allowed to inherit the throne of Hanover so her uncle became Ernest Augustus I. But......  
> 2) The most powerful German state, then roughly the same size as the state of Mississippi. The original Kingdom of Prussia (whose name came from the spruce trees that grew there; no connection to Russia whose name means red as in soil)) was a tiny enclave around Konigsberg (now Kaliningrad, Russia). A personal union with the Duchy of Brandenburg (the area around Berlin plus some other lands hundreds of miles west along the Rhine) in 1618 led to a merger and Prussia gradually swept up the smaller German states by a mixture of bullying and bribery. In 1866 in became in effect modern Germany, a country much larger than the one today after it defeated and annexed several neighbours including Hanover. The later shrinkage was due to certain genocidal attempts to conquer the whole Continent in the twentieth century (see under Kaiser Bill and Mr. A. Hitler) which they would rather you did not talk about thank you very much.


	3. Waterloo

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The French leader meets his Waterloo whilst the waters of both Samuel and Dean break, which means it's nappy time all round. And the floors of Camperdown House get well and truly tested!

Mr. Castiel Parker did not snigger at the prone form of Mr. Ezekiel Pensnett lying prone on the floor, whilst the latter's mate screamed a whole set of inventive profanities as to what he would do to both the twins if either (or both) of them ever had their way with him again. Indeed, Castiel's only slight concern was that as well as holding his brother's hand, Dean was very visibly taking notes. Eek!

The cause of Ezekiel's collapse had been the arrival of an alpha son. Or perhaps not so much that but the moment before when Miss Barnes had muttered, “thought so, it _is_ twins”. The tall dark-haired alpha had collapsed like a house of cards, although fortunately Castiel had mostly caught him on the way down. Now he was laid out on the floor being generally useless whilst Dean held one of the new arrivals and Miss Barnes attempted to extract the second from his brother, whose yelling as to what he would do to the unconscious alpha continued unabated.

“A double-sided hairbrush”, Dean muttered. 

Castiel shuddered at how cold the room was.

֍ΑΩ֎ΩΑ֍ΑΩ֎ΩΑ֍

A suitably red-faced Ezekiel came to later although he could not look his mate in the eye.

“Names?” Dean wondered as Ezekiel did not blubber (much) whilst looking down at the elder of the two new arrivals. 

“Samuel gets to choose”, the alpha said quickly.

“Fitting, as he was the only one to remain conscious!” Dean muttered, causing Ezekiel to blush.

“Ezra and Gaderian”, Samuel said. “One named for each of the men I love.”

“Aw!” That was Miss Barnes. 

_“When they are not down testing the damn floor!”_ Samuel snipped. His husband blushed even more.

֍ΑΩ֎ΩΑ֍ΑΩ֎ΩΑ֍

It was a full week later and Dean was getting desperate to give birth. But despite the sort of movement which suggested that the happy event was imminent, his latest addition(s) to the Parker dynasty showed zero inclination to actually come on stage. He had even tried waving pie across his stomach, but nothing!

“Colonel Philip Fairhead has arrived to town”, Castiel said, eyeing his omega carefully as Dean edged his bloated form over to the alpha's chair (it was the only one large enough to accommodate him just now). “Charlie says that he is in a bad way; he has lost his sight in one eye and is heavily scarred from the War.”

“Did he bring any more news?” Dean asked.

“Only that the great battle should have taken place by the time he reached us”, Castiel said. “Napoleon managed to defeat us at Quatre Bras – the colonel was wounded there which was why he was sent home - and the Prussians at Ligny, but Blücher promised Wellington he would be there for the big showdown. We should hear soon one way or another.”

“I hope Gad is all right”, Dean sighed. “Poor fellow, and poor Zeke worried about his twin.”

Castiel reached across and lifted one of the silver dish-coverings. Dean looked at him in surprise.

“Pie for breakfast?” he asked.

“I thought you might feel like it”, Castiel said.

Dean smiled at him – but then the smile started to wobble.

“Dean?” the alpha asked anxiously.

“Better send up for Pam”, Dean said. “Pie has finally done the trick, thank the Lord!”

֍ΑΩ֎ΩΑ֍ΑΩ֎ΩΑ֍

Mercifully the local midwife had agreed to stay in one of the spare rooms whilst awaiting the latest addition to the family, so she was there in barely a minute.

“You were wrong, Dean”, she said, somehow ignoring the burst of quite inventive profanities from the omega's lips as he writhed in agony. “Only one, though he's the biggest baby I have ever seen. You will need one hell of an effort to push that out....”

There was a thump from behind her. She sighed.

“Alpha down”, she said resignedly. _“Again!”_

֍ΑΩ֎ΩΑ֍ΑΩ֎ΩΑ֍

“You see, beloved”, Dean said to the alpha baby in his arms, “alphas like you are meant to be big and strong, always there when their mate needs them. And not to go _testing the floor_ at the first sight of blood. No young sir, they do not do that _at all_.”

Castiel stared hard at the floor he had just clambered up of. It did not seem inclined to open up and swallow him whole, worse luck.

“What do you want to name him, Dean?” he asked.

“Captain Fairhead came by whilst you were floor-testing”, Dean said, looking pointedly at his alpha. “Unlike you and Zeke, he seems capable of coping with a little blood. He brought news; Wellington and Blücher have defeated Napoleon at a place called Waterloo, not far from Brussels. A narrow victory but a decisive one.”

“I shall thank the captain later”, Castiel said.

“And hopefully get some tips about staying conscious at times like this!” Dean snarked. 

His alpha blushed even more.

“I thought since he was born when we had the news, he should have a name to mark the occasion”, Dean said. “ Blücher's first name is Gebhard, did you know?”

Castiel paled. His omega smiled at him.

“Then I thought of Arthur, after Wellington”, Dean said.

“Ilikethatone”, Castiel said, perhaps a little too quickly.

“As if you have any choice, _floor-tester!”_ Miss Barnes muttered.

֍ΑΩ֎ΩΑ֍ΑΩ֎ΩΑ֍

The story of Regency Castiel and Dean continues another four years on in _A Matter Of Principle_ set in 1819-1820 as the country copes with the bitter aftermath of the War and Castiel has to make a sacrifice for his omega.


End file.
